Who pays for the sewer lateral in Madera, CA
Which part of the pipe is yours
Yours all the way to the main under the road
Why, and what to do
If something’s wrong
If a repair needs a permit or an inspection
- Who issues it:
- City of Madera Public Works Department
- What it covers:
- grading excavating or constructing sewers or similar works in any street alley or way dedicated or proposed for public use
Madera Municipal Code section 7-2.02 provides that "No person shall grade, prepare, subgrade, pave, excavate, or construct sewers, drains, curbs, gutters, driveways, sidewalks, manholes, catch-basins or similar structures or works in any street, alley, or way" dedicated or proposed to be dedicated for public use "unless and until a permit for the work has been issued by the Department", which section 7-2.01 defines as the City's Public Works Department. The homeowner's lateral runs to the City's main under the street, so this is the City permit for digging there to reach it.
Who to call first about the sewer lateral
Madera: official site(opens in a new tab)The documents this answer is built on
Who is responsible for which part
Madera puts the whole lateral on the homeowner, from the City's sewer main to the property. The City's Sewer Maintenance page says that "While homeowners are responsible for lateral lines running from the main to their property, the City is here to assist with problems related to the public system." The City's 2020 Sewer System Management Plan describes ownership in similar terms: "Current City policy is that the entire sewer lateral from within the street right of way to the service connection is owned by the property owner."
- The property owner
- The lateral line from the City's main to the property, the part under the street included. The City's page does not say whether the joint where the lateral meets the main is the owner's or the City's.
What else is worth knowing
Sources
City of Madera, Sewer MaintenanceWhat the rules say
Most relevant if you have a backup or blockage
No rule on file here is specific to a backup or blockage; that does not mean none exists.
Also in force here
- Who issues it:
- City of Madera Public Works Department
- What it covers:
- grading excavating or constructing sewers or similar works in any street alley or way dedicated or proposed for public use
Madera Municipal Code section 7-2.02 provides that "No person shall grade, prepare, subgrade, pave, excavate, or construct sewers, drains, curbs, gutters, driveways, sidewalks, manholes, catch-basins or similar structures or works in any street, alley, or way" dedicated or proposed to be dedicated for public use "unless and until a permit for the work has been issued by the Department", which section 7-2.01 defines as the City's Public Works Department. The homeowner's lateral runs to the City's main under the street, so this is the City permit for digging there to reach it.
What to do: If the work involves the connection to the City's main, contact the City's Sewer Division, which makes all connections. For any other excavation in the street, apply to the Madera Public Works Department for a permit before starting, use a licensed contractor, and give the Inspector at least 24 hours' notice before each inspection.
Madera Municipal Code section 7-2.02, Permits requiredWhy this matters
The connection to the main itself is not the owner's to make: section 5-4.19 provides that "The city, by and through its Sewer Department, shall make all connections onto the city sewer system." For other work in the street, the person responsible must hold a State contractor's licence for the kind of work, the applicant must carry liability insurance naming the City as an additional insured, and a cash deposit or surety bond in the amount the Director fixes is required before the permit issues. Section 7-2.11 requires all work to be inspected, with the Inspector notified "at least 24 hours before the time set for such inspection", and work done without that notice is not acceptable.
- Madera Municipal Code section 7-2.01, Definitions
- Madera Municipal Code section 7-2.06, Insurance and indemnity for street work
- Madera Municipal Code section 7-2.07, Contractor's license required
- Madera Municipal Code section 7-2.10, Bond or deposit required
- Madera Municipal Code section 7-2.11, Inspections
- Madera Municipal Code section 7-2.12, Final cleaning
- Madera Municipal Code section 5-4.19
What this page cannot tell you
- No assistance or grant programme has been reviewed for this jurisdiction yet.
- No sewer service territory has been mapped for this area, so BelowGrid cannot say who serves an individual address.
Who governs and serves this area
- Jurisdiction
- Madera (municipality)
- Sewer service
- No map of sewer providers is held here. BelowGrid cannot say which sewer provider serves an individual address.
How this compares to neighbouring cities
2 of the 3 nearest cities draw the line somewhere else. Each authority publishes only its own rule.
Nearby cities and further reading
Look up a specific address
This page describes what applies to properties in Madera in general. To see which authorities serve one address, and what records exist for it, search for it.
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